The point of airbags in the car is to slow the rate of impact for passengers. Unless I'm missing something, adding airbags to the outside of the vehicle would only increase the speed at which collision happens.

oh good, so they will tack on $2000 to the price of my car so when Johnny BikeShorts blows a stop sign and hits my car, his helmet-less head hill hit a pillow instead of karma. At least the $2000 bike will be wrecked so I guess it's a fair trade, although having an airbag go off on your car usually means the car is a write-off nowadays.

I've never hit a cyclist or pedestrian in my life, subs! Also all those signs and trees I have plowed into over the years were clearly suicidal because they jumped right in front of me.

pkellmey:Hmm, I'm thinking less airbags and something more along the lines of cyclistcatcher (much like the cowcatchers on trains).

I like this idea. As a frequent pedestrian, cyclist or skater out on public roads, it would be much more convenient and less costly than taking the bus home if I got too tired on my way back. Can we have some nice padding in the catcher? Maybe a nice blanket and a memory foam pillow? That would be nice. :-)

/quit driving years ago 'cuz I'm bad at it//a lot of people should follow my example

ZAZ:No officer I have no idea who might have wired a stick of dynamite into the airbag igniter circuit.

Too dangerous for yourself, for the dynamite will blow in all directions putting you at risk. What you need is the M18 claymore. The shaped charge can be focused away from you and only hit your intended target and beyond. You really need to keep safety in mind when modifying your vehicle. For extra safety, keep the hand trigger ready for that next carjacker wanting to take your sweet ride.

To aid all the US haters: "pedestrians" are people who are not at that point sitting in a car. In some countries, they "cross" the road on occasion. Sometimes, cars drive into them in error without either party having been acting irresponsibly.

Over at the Urban Country, James Schwartz has a better idea to increase safety:The best way to increase safety for pedestrians and bicyclists is to remove seatbelts from cars and put metal spikes on the steering wheel facing the driver. This will guarantee that drivers will be more cautious while driving.

While putting metal spikes on the shells of the cars will guarantee that cyclists will be more cautious while cycling.

TheHappyCanadian:oh good, so they will tack on $2000 to the price of my car so when Johnny BikeShorts blows a stop sign and hits my car, his helmet-less head hill hit a pillow instead of karma. At least the $2000 bike will be wrecked so I guess it's a fair trade, although having an airbag go off on your car usually means the car is a write-off nowadays.

Or the deer, the other driver blowing a red light (frequent in the Pacific Timezone), or anything else. Really, what you say speaks more for the need to drive defensively and drive at a speed you can react to based on what you can see. Unexpected obstacles happen, and not usually in moron driver on a bicycle form.

Dwight_Yeast:If you've ever ended up on the hood of some asshole's car, because he wasn't paying attention, this suddenly becomes a very good idea.

Making it harder to get a license, making it easier to lose one, and having a tighter zero tolerance policy on license violations than the DEA has on potheads would do more. Vehicles are perfectly safe regardless of "safety features" in the control of a sober, competent operator.

rhiannon:Over at the Urban Country, James Schwartz has a better idea to increase safety:The best way to increase safety for pedestrians and bicyclists is to remove seatbelts from cars and put metal spikes on the steering wheel facing the driver. This will guarantee that drivers will be more cautious while driving.

So nice of him to quote me without giving credit.

While putting metal spikes on the shells of the cars will guarantee that cyclists will be more cautious while cycling.

Pretty sure gravity and inertia already do a fine job of that without some asshole deciding to go highway jousting for shiats and giggles. But hey, that's why you live in a basement and I live in the real world.